Shruti Says by Barkha Khandelwal

Bhaj Govindam 

This is a verse written by Nityananda is beautiful. It is describing the outwardly behaviours of the truly realised, a state where the self fades and only God remains, where the oneness with all becomes a reality. 

The normal norm of the society don’t apply to him and he remains maast in his own masti. This ones behaviour can not be understood by the masses who are bound by the rules of the so called cultured society. He comes across as a dim wit, mad man or even scary to the eyes of the worldly. The one who revels in God and knows the secrets of this universe, can no longer or no longer wants to indulge the worldly people and their norms of normality.

The awakened are difficult to understand, but then Who can understand the one who has understood ‘That One’. 

Verse 22

रथ्या चर्पट विरचित कन्थः, 

पुण्यापुण्य विवर्जित पन्थः। 

योगी योगनियोजित चित्तो, 

रमते बालोन्मत्तवदेव॥

Rathyā carpaṭa viracita kanthaḥ

Puṇyāpuṇya vivarjita panthaḥ,

Yogī yoganiyojita citto

Ramate bālonmattavadeva

रथ के नीचे आने से फटे हुए कपडे पहनने वाले, 

पुण्य और पाप से रहित पथ पर चलने वाले, 

योग में अपने चित्त को लगाने वाले योगी, 

बालक के समान आनंद में रहते हैं॥

The Twenty-Second verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

The one who collects and stitches the pieces of cloths scattered on the ground and wears,

The one who walks on a path which is beyond good deed and bad,

That yogi who is connected to the divine bliss through yoga,

He is always in joy like a child or lives in this world like a madman.

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Bare Necessity (Rathyā carpaṭa viracita kanthaḥ)

Sukhacharya and various other sages don’t see the need to cover themselves anymore. They are beyond this body conscious state and believe that they are the soul the witness and the body is their cloth. Free from any social stigma and inhibition they remain in a state of divine union. 

It is said that ones, Sukhrachayaji was walking hurriedly and his father Ved Vyasaji was chasing him, on the way there were a few girls bathing in the lake. When Sukhracharyaji passed they did not run to cover themselves up, they continued what they were doing. On the other hand, when Vedavyasji came they hurriedly ran to hide themselves. 

Astonished Vedavyasji asked, “I am much older and my son a young man unclothed himself, he just walked past, at that time you did not feel shame or a need to hide, but in front of me you do.”

The girls replied, “he is beyond the body, he is soul conscious, and does not take himself to be a man or body. He does look at others from that view also. To him all he sees are the divine souls, who are beyond body and gender. But, to you we are still women and you can see we are bare.“

This state comes naturally to the one who is self realised, gradually and slowly, the need to posses diminishes and unknowingly everything material falls away. This one takes only that which is a bare necessity, from the cloths to the food, is only enough to keep ones soul attached to the body. Anything taken beyond ones basic need is a sin, keeping this in mind he shuns even what the world thinks is needed and makes do with the discarded pieces to cover his body.

He knows, We can not experience true happiness when desire rule our heart and not God. Passion of a man, grows more when he enjoys the pleasures of the senses. The more we indulge, the more the desire. The more we get, the more the greed. Wants never end no matter how much we have, we are never contented and keep wanting more and more. The fire of greed, burns more and more with every drop of desire. 

No matter how hard we want to mellow down this verse, and twist its meaning to suit our convenience, jo hai woh hai.

‘Yeh raah nahin aasan Sunle o rahi.

Yeh aag ka darıya hai,

Aur doob ke jaana hai.’

Just Be (Puṇyāpuṇya vivarjita panthah)

This verse describes the state of a person who is beyond Satva, Rajas and Tamas and is in the the gunateeth avastha. A state very difficult to reach and ones reached, the veils of Maya disappear, the unreal world and laws of Maya do not apply anymore and what remains is the eternal truth. A detachment happens, as if one is ejected from the grip of Maya and is free. 

• The grip of gravity is only till we are in the realm of the earths pull, beyond that there is a state of weightlessness.
• The oneness with the movie and characters happens momentarily, at that time emotional outbursts are experienced. But, when again one realises he is just the witness and what is on the screen is but not real, no emotional residue remains.

In the same way, the one who has realised the ultimate truth, is not governed by the law of Maya - punya and paap, and is free from the Karma Bandhan. His action don’t account to any bondage. Not only this, he does not mind people judging him, and partitioning his actions into good or bad, he does not run to give an explanation or justification.

Meri karam Kahani

Meri atma bhi Jane

parmatma bhi Jane… he sings in his heart

The silent saint

Once there was a saint who lived in the outskirts of the village. He would never say anything, as he was alway in maun avastha. Every villager honoured him and would go to him for blessings. 

It so happened one day, that a girl came out crying and said that she was carrying the sage's baby. The girls parents and the villagers were shocked and went to him and pelted stones at him. Some also threw his things and smeared dirt on him. They humiliated him in every way possible and later insisted that the girl, has to stay with him, as it was his responsibility. He did not utter a word, or even try to explain or exclaim. He was calm as always and of course quiet, as always in maun.

The girl started living in his little hut, he let the girl sleep inside and he himself step outside under the rain and sun. He made sure she was taken care of and later he also took care of the baby. Like this 3 years passed. Never did he try to question the girl, as to why she had done all this. He just treated her like his daughter and kept her safe.

One day, the girl came with a boy, and both fell at the feet of this Mahatma, and weeped with guilt. The boy said it was his child, they had married secretly, but were afraid to let people know. But, now they had gather the courage and would tell everyone the truth. The saint, just smiled, he was his calm silent self. There was no change in his expression at all.

When the couple went and told everyone the truth, the villagers felt horrible about their behaviour and did not even know how they could repent. They all gather outside the sages hut, with eyes filled with tears of guilt. The boy and the girl came, and said that they would leave as their parents have accepted their marriage. The sage effortlessly gave the little baby who he had nurtured with such love and care without any hesitation, or change in expression.

He went about his business as if nothing had ever happened.

Total Oneness (Yogī yoganiyojita citto)

‘Agar hai shauk milne ka to har dam lau

lagata ja

jala kar khudnumaai ko, bhasam tann

par lagaata ja.’

Chareveti chareveti - chalte jao chalet jao - you will reach. With this one thought in ones mind, the yogi walks on. We are talking about a situations where the, Sadak - Sadhana and Sadya become one. 

This yogi who has no sense of the self or the world, just revel in the lord. There is a madness in this love for the divine where all else vanishes and only that one remains. When we crave for the Lord as a person who is drowning craves for a breath of air, he will he finally come. 

Ones a man came to Vivekanadaji, to ask him how God can be realised, he had 5 minutes before his train left and he needed the answer he insisted. Vivekanandji was amused and as this man was adamant, he had to give the answer, so with his hand he took this man pushed his head in the river Ganga, and kept it there long enough for him to crave for the one breath and not die. Out came the man gasping for air and totally dismayed and shaken by the saints behaviour. Vivekanandji asked so what did you think about when you were under water? Only one breath, only one breath came the reply.

Go said, Vivekanandji, the day you are able to think of God with such intensity and one focused desire, you will get God for sure.

Vyasani Bhakt - Joononi - pagal - anek naam hai Prabhu ke devano ke. 

Child Like State (Ramate bālonmattavadeva)

Sona Sajan Sadhujan

toote joore sau baar.

Durgam kumbh kumar ke,

Ek jhatke aaye darar.

Gold, good people, saint, don’t hold grudge and the relationships they are in break and mend many times. It is the vile and evil, who are like the earthen clay pot of the potter, which break even by one push, and putting it together is not possible after that. 

Dhruv and Kuber were in the middle of a horrible battle when senses dawned and they withdrew their forces. Not an iota of bitterness remained after that, they befriended each other as if they were never enemies.

This is the sign of a great soul. The hearts of great souls are unable to hold grudges. If we take a knife and itch something on the stone. It will stay for a very long time. However, if we take the same knife and itch something on a sandy beach, as we are itching, it will get wiped out by the wave. Nothing will remain. You might feel that something is being written and retained, but if you look closely it is not. 

The realised at times display anger, great agony and at time extreme joy, but in a minute or so, they become normal again as if nothing had ever happened. They are like children who are in the present and live in the moment, their hearts pure are unscarred always.

Unmattavat (mad-man) and Pishachavat (like a ghost) (Ramate bālonmattavadeva)

It is noticed that many a times to keep the people away and remain in seclusion, they put on a repulsive appearance. They know that this Maya is very strong and one never knows when the slip happens and years of penance is dissolved by her and the poor soul is put back in the never ending cycle of birth and death.

To a layman’s eyes, these people will be written off as crazy and mad, and left alone. But, this is exactly why such an act has been put together.

It is essential for anyone on this path to remain in seclusion, and isolations many a great gyanis and yogis have fallen, just before they have almost reached. The seemingly mad, are but the enlightened who stay miles aways from the deluded. The moth who runs into the fire is sure to be burnt. Maya is a blazing fire, and the material world - people and things are the sparks (chingari) capable of creating the blazing fire of desires, which can burn years of tapas in moments.

Jada Bharat

Raja Bharat was a great ruler and looked after his citizens like a father. After many many prosperous years it was time for him to enter Vanaprasth ashram. He gave up everything he had with no pain, his children, wife, friends, family, all the wealth and comfort and went away with nothing but the simple cloths he had changed into. 

He started living in a small hut near a river, he never missed his family nor his riches. He was beyond attachment and easily forgot them all. He had been working towards this phase in his life always. He was constantly attaching to the Lord and detaching from the world, even as he ruled and acted in the world. 

One day while he was sitting in meditation near the river and was very near liberation, he was jolted out of this state by a loud roar. He opened his eyes to see a doe being chased by a lion. This doe jumped over the river to save her life, and life of her unborn baby. While see jumped the fawn fell into the river and the doe died on the other bank. Raja Bharat jumped into the river and saved the fawn.

He started tending to the fawn and as days passed he developed a deep attachment towards this fawn. He would worry if the fawn went to the jungle and would take care of its meals, play with it. So much so that he forgot all his tapas and penance. The king who had easily given up attachment to his blood relations, was trapped by Maya in the form of a fawn and died thinking about how the deer would live without him, who will take care of it.

In the next birth he was born as a deer, and had all the memory of his previous birth. He would repent at why he got trapped in Moha and Maya. Time passed and he left this body also, and now was born as a human again. 

He was so conscious of what had happened in his previous births that he would not talk to anyone, he would not work, he would not react. If given food he would eat, if not he would sleep hungry. He behaved like a dim-wit and never opened his mouth. Soon his family sunned him away, he was taken by some people who tried to sacrifice him, but Ma kali saved him and later he was taken by some men to help carry the kings palanquin. He would now walk jumping from side to side trying to save the insect and ants on the path. As a result of which the king threatened to punish him.

He finally opened his silence and uttered words full of wisdom, the king was surprised to see the one who looked like a fool, talk like a sage. Jada Bharat told him all about his past life and said, I don’t wish to make a mistake again, I only desire to become one with my lord, hence I put up this pretence.

The King Rahugana fell at the Jada Bharat’s feet.

Asmanjas 

This is the son of Raja Sagar from the solar dynasty. He was very wicked by nature, he would burn peoples houses, hurt the old people, rob and steal. Not only this, given a chance he would catch hold of children and babies and drown them. 

People of the kingdom were petrified of him and would hide at the very site of him. His father sagar tried his best to explain to him, sometimes he cajoled him, other times he would punish him, but no matter what he could not change him. He tormented and hurt people so much, that there was no other way left, the King had to banish him to the jungle, never to return again.

The minute this exile was announced, his monstrous face suddenly became saintly, he wicked laugh, turned into a loving smile. At that very moment, all the children he had drowned came back to life, all the place he had destroyed became alright and all the old people he had hurt, became fine. It was a miracle.

He lovely touched the feet of his father, and apologised for the mental agony caused to him and all the citizens and walked aways never to return.

He was doing all this to stay away and be sent away. We never know when raag - attachment takes over.

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So, 

Open your mind and walk alone

Be not afraid walk alone

Ekla chalo re…

Jodi tor dak sune keu na ashe,

Tobe ekla cholo, ekla chalo, aekla chalo re,

If no one answers your call,

Then walk alone,

(be not afraid) walk alone my friend.

Jodi kue kotha na koe,

ore o re o obaghaga, keu kotha na koe

Jodi sobai thake muhk phirae , sobai kore bhoye,

Tobe poran khule,

O tui, mukh phute tor moner kotha,

Ekla bolo re

If no one talks to you,

O my unlucky friend, if no one speaks to you,

If everyone looks the other way and everyone is afraid,

Then bare your soul and let out what is in your mind,

(be not afraid) Speak alone my friend.

Jab kali ghata chaye,

Ore o re o andhera sach ko nigal jaye

Jab duniya sari, dar ke age sar apna jhukaye,

Tu shola banja, Wo shola banja, Jo khud jal ke jahan raushan karde,

Ekla jalo re.

When dark clouds cover the sky, When darkness engulfs the truth,

When the world cowers and bows before fear,

You be the flame, The flame that burns you and banishes darkness from the world,

(be not afraid) Burn alone my friend.

So,

Open your mind and walk alone

Be not afraid walk alone

Hari Om

Geeta Verse 11 Concluded 

Bhagwat 1st December 2020

Bhaj Govindam 

Verse 21

पुनरपि जननं पुनरपि मरणं, 

पुनरपि जननी जठरे शयनम्। 

इह संसारे बहुदुस्तारे, 

कृपयाऽपारे पाहि मुरारे॥

Punarapi Jananam Punarapi Maranam

Punarapi Jananijathare Sayanam

Iha Samsare Bahudustare

Krpaya pare Pahi Murare

बार-बार जन्म, बार-बार मृत्यु, 

बार-बार माँ के गर्भ में शयन, 

इस संसार से पार जा पाना बहुत कठिन है,

हे कृष्ण कृपा करके मेरी इससे रक्षा करें॥

The Twenty-First verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

Repeatedly being born and repeatedly dying,

Repeatedly having to stay in the womb of the birth giver.

This world is brutal and freeing the self from he clutches of Maya is so difficult,

Oh Murare, please have mercy on me and help me cross this ocean of mundane existence, it is possible only with your help.

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There is this beautiful story of Ramji and Kevat (The Boat Man). Ramji wanted to cross the river to get to the other side. So he requested Kevat to help him cross. Now, the kevat was very clever, or should I say enlightened. He said, I am not going to let you step into my boat till I wash your feet. The dust of your feet is dangerous, he continued to say, just the way that stone became a woman (Ahilya), what if my boat becomes a woman, what will I do. Lakhman was very angry, but Ramji started laughing and said, do what you need to do to save you boat. He washed the Lords feet. It is said that in his previous birth he was a small creature in the milky ocean, and when he tried to get near the feet of the Lord, Seshnag (currently Lakshman) with his tail threw him far and he died. So, he first fulfilled his desire, to touch the feet of the Lord.

Now, Ramji boarded the boat with Ma Sita and Lakhmanji, this Kevat was not only rowing the boat slowly, but also as soon as they would be close to the other side, he would row them back to the middle of the river and again move towards the other side and again back to the middle of the river. This kept on happening and finally Ramji asked, what are you doing. It has been so long, why are rowing us around in circles and not letting us cross the ocean. To this kevat said;

My Lord how does it feel, I am giving you the taste of your own medicine. This is what you do to all of us right. You make us go in circles from one birth to another, from one specie to another. There seems no end, 84 lakh species we roam in and then again we repeat the cycle. You dear God, are feeling giddy with this small little trip as we are going in circles, but do you ever think how we feel? How miserable we get? How tired it must be for us poor souls? 

Lakshman was fuming, how dare he talk to Ram bhaiya like this, no one has a right to do this. Now, Ramji could not stop laughing, he said, ‘I understand now how all of you feel. Please, get us to the bank on the other side now.’

This was not the end Kevat wanted to make a very important deal also. When they got to the bank and Ramji, Sitaji and Lakhmanji got off, Ramji wanted to pay Kevat, he was given a ring by Ma Sita, to pay for the trip. Now, Kevat refused, he said I will not take anything from you. God kept pleading and he kept refusing. He said, people from the same profession don’t take money from each other. Now again, Ramji asked, how are we from the same profession. 

Kevat said, ‘I take people from one side of the river to this other side. You also do the same thing, you help people cross the ‘Ocean of Mundane existence’, you help them cross this Bhav Sagar. My Lord when I come to your bank, just make sure you don’t take any fare from me, and help me cross the ocean just like I helped you.’

Ramji with tears in his eyes hugged his innocent devotee, his dear dear Kevat. 

By fare kevat meant don't take into account the sheet of my Karmas. It is so difficult to have a clean slate. Even if the slate is clean, and vices have been erased, this Ego of Satva does not leave us. Reaching the Gunateeth avastha is very hard and if one reaches also, staying there in that state without oscillations rare. Many a sages, have slipped. Kings like Raja Bharat who were able to denounce the world and riches, have been trapped by you, in attachments, as trivial as the love for a deer.

Kevat knows that self effort is needed but, no amount of effort is enough, without Bhakti and surrender all else is waste. Can anybody find the way to the one nobody knows. The one who can not be found, is not reachable. It is he who reaches out, it is when he wants to be found can a Sadhak even take the first step.

Only God can help us cross this painful Bhav Sagar we are trapped in, there is no other way. Maya and her magic has enticed us so much that we are unable to reach the end, unless and until God is merciful it is impossible to get out of this unending cycle of birth and death.

Today we might feel, What is so bad in the cycle of life?

Life is good, that is why.

On top of all, God has also increased the level of difficulty by giving us Vismrati -forgetfulness.

We tend to forget the suffering we go through when we are in the womb of the mother. The suffering of the soul is unbearable, it is the worst hell and the agony indescribable. The soul pleads for release from the womb and pledges to turn towards God, and never sway. Had we remembered this pain, would we be enticed by maya and would we ever have wanted to be trapped in the womb again?

There are species where death is gruesome. Had God not given us a good life, starvation, illness, torture etc had been inflected, would we still have wanted this cycle of brith and death. If we had a miserable tortures life. If we were born in a species where the mother was eaten alive over weeks by its own off-spring (spider, scorpion etc). Had we remembered this painful death, would we still want to be born again?

The problem is we forget.

But, the scriptures remind us, they tell us how difficult it was to reach this Human Birth. In the human birth also to get life which is conducive for Sadhana, is a result of a lot of Tapasya and Kripa.

Our situation is like the horse, who has been given water but refuses to drink. It is said that, we can get a horse near water, but we cannot make him drink it.

Ramji gave Kevat the temptation of the extremely precious ring, but Kevat refused. He did not get lured by Maya Pati’s Maya. Are we able to keep our focus on the feet of the lord, or the comforts of the world are more appealing for us?

In this verse, the tiring cycle of birth and death is being mentioned. Repeatedy being born, repeatedly dying, to be born again and to die again. This never ending cycle, is painful and agonising. It is so difficult to break the cycle, to free one form the tight hold of Maya. How do I break free God, it is only your kripa that can help.

As Ramana Maharishi says;

If the unripe mind does not feel his grace, it does not mean that God's grace is absent.

How to become ripe for his Kripa?

Kripa is always there, it is not partial, it is not biased it just flows. But, we are unable to hold it and internalise it. The sun shines equally at all, but if some decide to close the curtains, is it the fault of the sun. We have also put thick curtains of Samskaras, Vasanas, Vrittis and Karmas on the window of our heart and hence, the Kripa being there, is not reaching us. 

How do we remove the thick covering, which is stopping us from breaking the cycle of birth and death? 

It can happen by getting free of all our past Samskaras. But, how?

Samskaras - Samskaras are impression made on our chitta. This happens when we carry out any act consciously. As the photographs are developed from the negetive, so too memories are developed from the Samskaras. We have multiple such impression from not only this life, but from the previous lives also.

Vasanas - The are tendencies, these are the effects of our Samskaras. These are the inclinations we have because of our impressions called as Samskaras. It is difficult to identify the Samskaras, but it is possible to identify the Vasanas. In Lanka Kand, when Ramji reached the shores of Lanka, all the trees started bearing fruit, forgetting the season. Trees bear fruits according to the season, right. Well, the seasons, they are just like our Vasanas. Take a bottle of pickle, no matter how many times you wash it the smell remains. Special measures have to be taken to remove that stench. Hence, a residual impression of our Karma, good or bad tendencies which is carried forward birth after birth is Vasana.

Vrittis - These Vananas or tendencies create the thought in our mind. These are feelings that arise in us and we work towards fulfilling these urges and desires.

Karma - These Vrittis finally lead to our words and deeds. With the thought, word and deeds we start inculcating karmas. These karmas are of many types, but the three main types are Sanchit Karma, Aagami Karma and Prarabh Karma. Imagine a person bow and arrow; 

• The arrow when shot, and has left the bow are our Prarabh karma. What is happening in our life today is a result of this.
• The Arrows in the quiver is the accumulated past karmas, which have already been accumulated and we will have to face the results eventually.
• The Arrow not yet shot is the aagami karma which have yet not been incurred and we can still avoid them.

These Karmas form impression that are the Samskars, these Samskars give rise to Vasanas, these vasanas lead to vrittis and these vrittis again lead to Karma. This cycle continues, it is a vicious cycle. As in Vidhur Niti it is said;

‘Old age destroys beauty, 

Temptation destroys patience, 

Greed spoils the malicious man, 

One’s good nature sours as a result of servicing the wicked, 

Lust destroys shame and

EGO destroys EVERY THING. 

But, it can be ended, this cycle can be broken.

Ego this I (Me and Mine) can be eliminated by self-enquiry and practice. We can’t work on Samskaras or Vasanas. We can work on our Vrittis and our thought, words and deeds. Our focus should always be on the virtues. 

• Instead of saying I am trying to control my anger, one should say I am trying to be every loving. 
• Instead of thinking to oneself, I am trying not to lie, one should keep thinking about being truthful.

Thinking about the negative is like watering the roots of the plant and keeping it alive. On the contrary, thinking about the positive action that needs to be undertaken is like, letting the vicious plant, dry and die on its own. 

This is also know as the art of Sublimation, as opposed to suppression. If we hold the feet of God(Murare) with both our hands we are unable to hold anything else. All falls off on its own. When we have not put in effort to shrug the negative, even Ego does not bloom, as it was not our effort, but by grace of God that we were able to move beyond. When we focus on Sattva, Rajas and Tamas falls off on their own, and to get rid of Sattva becomes a great problems, as we feel it is good, why let go of the good. 

When we hold the feet of Murare (the killer of demon Mura - the five faced monster) and ask him to work the magic of his grace, we are not bound by satva and satvik ego also. As there was no effort, it was the the sunrise that scared the darkness away and not the candle I lite. 

Note: Mura - The five faced monster. Our Ego is also a five faced monster, it feeds itself thought the five senses.

‘No gardener can make even one flower. The flower must come from the plant. The gardener can shake up the roots a little, feed it properly, water it, protect it from animals, expose it to the sun, or put it in the shade when necessary. Thus, outside service can be done, but the flower cannot come from the gardener.

In the same way, the textbooks, the masters, and the rishis are all gardeners.

The flower of knowledge must come from you.

The flower of knowledge blossoms with grace of God.

In the light of knowledge all doubts end. 

Hari Om

Sunderkand Doha 6 Onwards till Doha 8

Geeta Chapter 2 Verse 11 Continued

Bhagwat 24th November 2020

Bhaj Govindam 

Nirantar swasth chintan ho, yehi sabse bada jaap hai.

Na utra aacharn mai to, samucha gyan gapshap hai.

Rahe bhukhe magar phir bhi na khae paap ki Roti 

Bache buri aadatose, yehi is yug ka saab se bada tap hai.

To have pure and healthy thoughts is the most important chant,

If we have not been able to implement our learning in our day to day lives,

the entire ocean of knowledge is but an other source of gossip or a way to fill our empty hours.

It should be acceptable for one to starve, rather than eat from sinful income,

To avoid bad habits, is the biggest penance of this yuga.

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Akhandanandaji in his discourse, said he ones knew a man who had Geeta memorised. He could recite the Geeta, backward, forward and if asked from anywhere in the middle he would continue or mention the shloka number and chapter. However, as he grew older, he slowly forgot what he had memorised and by the time of his death, he remembered nothing at all. Instead, of the superficial memorising exercise, if he would have spent that much time, internalising and implementing even one of the verses in his life, it would have helped him cross the ocean of mundane existence and find a place at the feet of God.

Kabir Dasji says, what the 20th verse which has been written by Anandgiri ji is trying to tell us; 

Potha padh pad jag muah,

pandit bhaya na koi.

Dhai aakhar prem ke,

paade sau pandit hoye.

Just by reading endless scriptures, 

One does not become a knower of God.

The one who is able to experience universal love,

Is the realised one.

Note: The word pandit has been used in Geeta also, it refers to the self realised one, who is the knower of self and the divine wisdom. A Viveki, Gyani and Vigyani. (Not to be mistaken with how we use the word pandit today)

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Verse 20

भगवद् गीता किञ्चिदधीता, 

गङ्गा जललव कणिकापीता। 

सकृदपि येन मुरारि समर्चा, 

क्रियते तस्य यमेन न चर्चा॥

bhagavadgītā kiñchidadhītā

gaṅgā jalalava kaṇikā pītā |

sakṛdapi yena murārī samarchā

kriyate tasya yamena na charchā ‖ 

जिन्होंने भगवदगीता का थोडा सा भी अध्ययन किया है,

भक्ति रूपी गंगा जल का कण भर भी पिया है, 

भगवान कृष्ण की एक बार भी समुचित प्रकार से पूजा की है, 

यम के द्वारा उनकी चर्चा नहीं की जाती है

The Twentieth verse said to me - Shruti Says🌷

Those who internalised and experienced even a little of Bhagwat Gita, 

Those who have drunk even a drop of water from the holy Ganga with faith in being freed from sin, 

Those who have surrendered to and worshipped Lord Krishna even ones with true divine love, 

Yama, the God of death has no need to reach out to them. (As they have crossed the ocean of mundane existence and are free from the game of maya)

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Yatha Drishti Thatha Shrithi

Everything written in our scriptures has various meaning, hence, what the author of the verse meant, what we or others interpret could be very different. Hence, read, feel, experience and listen, the verse will speak to you, then interpret - what does your vision say. Ramji before the battle was resting and at that time an insightful discussion on what is the black spot on the moon followed. Sugrive, Vibhishan, Hanuman, Angad and Laxman all answered based on their life experiences and depth

• Shadow of the earth on the moon
• The demon Rahuls struck the moon
• A part of moon was taken to make the face of Rati
• Moon has the lord itched in his heart which appears like a black hole (as the lord is dark in color) etc

To me the verse highlights;

• The importance of even a little - Good Company, Effort and Name
• The importance of Faith

The Power of Little - Company 

एक घड़ी आधी घड़ी, आधी में पुनि आध। तुलसी संगत साधु की, हरे कोटि अपराध।।

24 minutes, 12 minute or even less 6 minutes. Tulisdasji says that the company of a sage, helps us remove all our sins.

A bit of Geeta, a drop of Ganga and a moment with God - when experienced liberates us. All it takes is less then a second and it can happen now and here.

Even a touch is enough for some and years of sangh has no affect on many.

The Power of Little - Ram Setu

In this verse the power of quality and not quantity has been emphasised. Let’s try to understand this with a story from the Ramayan. When Shri Ram had to cross the ocean to reach Lanka, Nala and Neal along with other made a bridge. Now, the bridge was ready and it was time to set out. At that time, Sugrive came to Ramji, a little dejected. He said, yes, we have been able to build a bridge, however, the bridge is so narrow, it will take years for the entire army to cross over.

At this Ramji smiled and said could you please take me to the bridge. When they reached Ramji went and stood on the bridge, no sooner that he set his foot on the bridge, all the sea creatures surfaced to have Darshan (see) of the divine Lord. They were uncountable and many were humongous in size. In no time the entire ocean was covered, there was no sight of water anywhere. 

To this Sugrive said, “If this was possible, why did you make us put so much of effort in building this bridge?”

Ramji answered, “Sugrive, had you not build this bridge, where would I come and stand, it was essential.”

Sugrive had another doubt, “What if our army starts walking on them and midway the seas creatures decide to dive into the water, our Vanar Sena will drown!”

Ramji smiled, “Till I am standing on the bridge, not one will even blink its eye, rest assured. Now without fear, ask your army to march.”

One word of Gita and Internalised

One drop of Ganga and Purified

One minute with Krishna and self nullified

In that heart stands Shri Hari himself now. A word, a drop, a minute it might have been, but the tiny bridge made with sincerity, is guarded by purity.

There was ones a sage, he knocked at the door and the voice from inside asked, who is it.

The sage said, ‘I am there, it is me.’

The door did not open. 

The sage went away and felt he must have said something wrong and so intensified his penence. After a long duration he went back and knocked, and the voice inside asked, who is it.

The sage replied, ‘It is me, I am here.’

The door did not open yet again.

The sage went back and delved deeper with in and after ages came back and knocked. A voice as always asked, who is it.

The sage this time said, ‘It is all you, there is nothing but you, there is no one but you, only you exist only one.’

The door opened.

Till there is Ego, there is me and there is you. The day there is no Ego, there is no me and there is no you.

Mera mujhe mai kuch nahin jo kuch hai woh tera. 

Tera tujhe ko saup du to kya jata hai mera.

When there is no ME left who will Yama come to, who will Yama talk about in his court, who will Yama Judge

It just takes a moment to liberate, for the free to become free, is just a moments matter.

The power of Little - Ajamil 

The story Shrimad Bhagwat comes in Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran. There was a Learned Brahmin named Ajamila, a very pious person and belonged to a very pious family. He had a young devoted wife. He and his family lived an exemplary life. 

One day he was walking past a jungle when he saw some people doing horrible things and were looking very happy. He understood that this was wrong and this was nothing but an attack by his senses and mind. Yet, he was unable to reason himself out of this bad desire.

He forced himself home, but the next day, visited the jungle and met them and soon he started spending more time with them and also married one evil woman. He forgot about his parent and his pious wife. He left them all and started living with her. He would do everything to make her happy and fulfilled her unending demands. To the extent that this learned Brahmin became a thief, a dacoit and later a murder. Such horrendous became his life, that no one would every come near their house.

Time went by, he had 10 sons and even at the age of 88 he was not free from the clutches of greedy desires. One day when he had gone out to fend for his family, a sage came and saw his son playing and asked the boy his name, to this, the boy’s mother, the evil wife of Ajamila answered that they had not named him yet. The sage asked her to call him Narayan.

Ajamila was very attached to Narayan, he would not eat, drink or sleep without his beloved son. He would go around calling out for Narayan every minute. Soon the time for his death arrived, as he laid on his bed, he saw some hideous looking creatures come down and they were trying to tear his soul from his body. 

He shouted out for his son, Narayan come to me, Oh Narayan come to me. The minute the servants of Lord Narayan heard his name and someone calling for him, they immediately descended. When they saw the messengers of Yamaraj, pulling Ajamila’s soul. They stopped them saying they had no right over his soul. 

Poor Ajamila could see and hear, the dialogue between the 4 servants of Narayan and the 4 Servants of Yamaraj, as to who would take his soul. There followed a long dialogue, which started with the servants of Narayan asking, Yama’s servant;

• What is the true characteristics of Dharma?
• How is the punishment given and to whom?
• Are all doers subject to punishment or only some?

To which Yama’s messengers answered;

• Dharma is that which is enjoined by the Veda and that which is forbidden by the Veda is Adharma. Vedas are Bhagwan Narayan himself.

This Ajamila they said, has violated the scripts, acted according to his own will, led a sinful life and lived for a long time in an impure state, he is a sinner, who has done no atonement for his sins, we will take him to Yama and he will throw him into the hell which will punish him for his hideous acts.

To which Bhagwan Narayan’s messengers answered;

This man has done atonement for all his sins, he said the name of Narayan in full, it wipes out the sins even when uttered in parts. He uttered it when he was about to die and there was no chance of another thought, word or action to be done. So after uttering the Lords name he could not commit another sin in thought, word and deed. 

Not only this, this kind of a perfect timing, of taking the lords name precisely at the time of death is not possible without the Lords will. 

Moreover, the Lords name, uttered for the Lord or for calling anyone else, uttered with love or hatred or with any emotion, with respect or disrespect, voluntarily or involuntarily, knowingly or unknowingly, destroys all sins instantly. 

Hence, he is free from all sins he has done so far and hence, can not be taken to Yama, who cannot send him to Hell. 

Hearing this, the messengers of Yama, let loose the soul of Ajamila and went back to Yama, reported everything that had conspired and asked for help in understanding what had just happened. Ajmila now loose from the noose of death fell at the feet of the messengers of God.

He promised that he will mend his ways and never do anything horrible and evil again. He got a second chance to atone for his sins and he was very grateful to God. He left everything and started wondering around and spent a lot of time in the company of pious holy sages. Soon he was also fully purified and did lot of prayer and Tapa and went to Vaikuth Dham.

Power of Faith

They say Faith can move mountains. It can;

• Faith in Geeta (scriptures), as the truth
• Faith in Ganga (Tiraths) as the purifier 
• Faith in Krisna (God) and his existence
• Faith in our eternal nature

When we have faith in Geeta, Ganga and God, we move beyond the clutches of maya, then the laws of the universe don’t apply to us any more - we are not in Yama’s jurisdiction. He is Dharm Raj, when there is a realisation that I am that eternal, we have moved beyond Tamas, Rajas and Sattva. In the Gunateeth avastha there is no karma bandana, nothing to be judged on anymore as there is no karta or bhogta, that is the doer of the action nor the benefiter of the fruit of the action. 

Mano tau saab kuch hai, aur nahin mau tau kuch bui nahin.

If we believe then all is, if we don’t believe nothing is.

The sooner we understand this, the sooner we will understand, it is not the power of Gita, Ganga or God, it is the power of our Faith in Gita, Ganga and God that empowers them. It might sound a bit radical, but the power is within us. The name of that power is faith, a firm belief that it will happen.

It all starts from belief - our belief. There is this song that goes;

I believe I can fly,

I believe I can touch the sky,

I think about it every night and day,

Flap my wings and fly away.

Yes, Karma devi, the cobbler and many more such narration are trying to tell us just this, it is your faith, that makes things happen. It is like a magic spell that opens the door to our eternal self. 

Karma Devi - Her father left for some work and asked her to offer food to God before eating, and she believed that God ate. God not only ate but also spoke to her.

‘Sachi preeti prabhu se ho tau, murat bole kath ki.’

If there is true love and faith in God, the the vigraha made of wood will also talk.

Cobbler - His belief in the act of God

The cobbler said, 

‘Yes I totally do believe. God can do anything. Look at this ‘Date Seed’ and look at this big Date tree. If God can put this big date tree in this tiny little seed. If God can put this numerous date trees in this one seed. Why can’t he put an elephant though a needle head. God can do anything, it is we who are unable to comprehend his doing with our limited ability to understand his magnificence. Not for a moment do I doubt what you said Narad Muni.’

When chanted with faith even Mara becomes Ram. This verse tells us that nothing more than that is needed. 

After all,

God does not chose the qualified, 

he qualifies the called.

he qualified the called.

Hari Om

Geeta Chapter 2 Verse 11 

Bhagwat 17th November 2020